A murdered girl's defiant mother (Frances McDormand) boldly paints three local billboards, each with a controversial message, igniting a furious battle with a volatile cop (Sam Rockwell) and the town's revered chief of police (Woody Harrelson).

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A great idea but poorly developed
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by WS

(9) of (12) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 2

This is unmistakably an outsider’s view of the southern Mid-West and one that verges on parody - not a very affectionate one at that. Apart from the strong accents and some twangy banjo music near the start, very little attempt is made to create an authentic sense of place. We get no establishing shots of the town’s main street or residential neighbourhoods, and very little sense of what everyday life is like, how people make a living and spend their leisure time.

The film often prioritises stylised violence set-pieces at the expense of thoughtful character development and human interaction. Some of the plot developments are either downright silly or have insufficient build-up to make them plausible (such as when a character gets thrown out of a window in broad daylight and the perpetrator doesn’t getting charged - only suspended!). Development of the supporting characters is minimal. For instance, Peter Dinklage is a very good actor but he is given very little to do. James, the character he plays, is sad and pathetic and his entire contribution to the story, such as it is, is defined by his dwarfism. We get a trio of memorable characters – the stoical and obstinate Mildred, the rough diamond Chief Willoughby, and the ball of impotent rage that is Jason Dixon. But even here some aspects of the character development feel perfunctory. It struck me as odd that Mildred appears to have no outside interests or female friends her own age, and I'm not altogether clear about how she earns a living - she works in some kind of touristy gift ship but it's unclear whether she owns the business or is just employed there. I didn't find it very funny either - the humour is crude and unimaginative and I could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I laughed, although I was in a minority.

The attempts to bring political themes into the film are clumsy at best, manipulative at worst. For example, early on it seems to be trying to make a point about police racism. We learn that Officer Dixon has recently been accused of unjustified violence towards a black suspect but was never disciplined for it. But we never get to learn what really happened, we see no evidence of Dixon being racist in everyday life, and all the main characters in the story are white. So why even bring up the subject in the first place? We also learn that Mildred is a survivor of domestic violence, but again this hardly seems necessary to explain her motivations, and I felt it was bit cynical to create a strong, assertive female character only to make her the victim of male violence twice over. Yes, police misconduct, racism and spousal abuse are serious issues, but when a film has nothing meaningful or original to say about them, and is apparently only using them to give itself a liberal sheen, this leaves a rather bad taste in the mouth.

I'm torn between giving this 2 and 3 stars. It's well-paced and well directed. The characters played by Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell are compelling if a little hard to relate to, and it explores the psychological themes of projected guilt and externalised self-loathing leading to violence (although not, it goes without saying, with the same degree of subtlety as that shown in "Manchester by the Sea"). And I liked the ambivalent ending - you feel the characters have learned something from their experiences . . . but have they learned to be better people, or just to make different mistakes in place of their old ones? But in the last analysis, Martin McDonagh's attempt to meld compassion, vulgarity, and Tarantino-lite violence into a coherent and satisfying whole does not really work, at least not for me. A great idea for a movie, but it could have been so much better if he had: 1) employed a script consultant; 2) spent a few months living in a small-town America to gain some empathy with its people.

Seen at the cinema, a superb movie by English director Martin McDonagh. Although filmed in America, it is apparently classed as an English movie. Superb acting, especially from Frances McDormand, the movie is full of humour, sadness, and all human emotions. Just when you think the storyline has settled down, it takes an unexpected turn. You'll need a strong stomach with the language but it's totally in context with the characters. A joy to behold. I have already seen it twice at the cinema and may yet go again. I picked up more on the humour the second time of viewing. I shall also leave it on my hire list to watch again when it is released on DVD. Deserves more than the maximum five stars!

Quirky gem
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by AB

(4) of (4) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 5

We loved this film. McDormand is terrific playing a grieving mother determined that the police will focus on finding her daughter's killer. Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson are also excellent. The thing that raises the film from good to excellent are the completely unexpected plot twists - you never know what is going to happen next. The ending is rather unsatisfactory in that nothing is really resolved, although I guess that is true of much of real life.

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A Review
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by toto

Another hideous depiction of hideous ,barbaric and violent life today but compelling. I should feel guilty for enjoying it but i am inured at 72

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Reviewed by: toto

Huge tragedy
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by CW

(1) of (1) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 5

Ftrances McDormand plays the Greek Tragedy huge part of a woman totally consumed with grief, guilt, shock, horror and on a relentless quest to find who tortured and killed her teenage daughter. Nothing else matters. When the killer is not found, she risks everything to have the case solved. She tries to shame and badger the police because she feels that they have just given up. She focuses on the sheriff played by Woody Harrellson. He is a kind. patient man who adores his wife and children and shines his light on others. He is forgiving and non.judgemental. Sam Rockwell plays a mean stupid racist policeman. Through his love the sheriff changes people. This is a tragedy. No Hollywood happy ending. It is set in Missouri but could be in several US states. The anguish of the mother is universal.

Miffed by the ending!
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by TB

(2) of (2) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 4

Well....this would have gotten a five star rating but the ending wasn’t what I was expecting and didn’t really conclude what otherwise was an excellent film.

However, the ending aside this is still a very good film. Frances McDormand is incredible as a character that literally doesn’t give a toss about anything, which at times is rather hilarious. The film engages a range of human emotions and has a couple of surprising moments, along with a bit of a twist. Very enjoyable but still left miffed by the ending!

All other members reviews

A wayward film of a rather sad part of the world, which promised so much in the beginning but got more and more confused as it went on. Characters weren't properly developed and some of the plot twists were far too excessive and unbelievable. The gratuitous swearing is pointless and not necessary (far too much of it these days) and significantly detracts from the plot. Although the acting was good - these are good actors after all - the script and plot gave them little to work with in my view. There were many serious issues that are raised in this film, but few get properly dealt with or explored.

A lot of films today are formulaic and predictable so sometimes it's good to see one that takes alternative twists and turns, but in this particular case the film just got more and more annoying, and in the end did not live up to it's real life billboards.

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Reviewed by: GR

Brilliant
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by LL

(3) of (3) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 5

Brilliant film with superb acting. A comedy sometimes Dark dealing with issues of a negative nature in a humourous way. You have to accept the content of the film for what it is to understand the message it gives. It was excellent from start to finish.

A fable for our time
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by HE

(2) of (2) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 5

A deeply moving story for our time about people caught in circumstances that bring out the best and the worst in them. Life is complicated and messy and there are times when you just have to make a stand and do what you can. Realistic, sympathetic and at times brutal, I couldn't help but be drawn into the dilemmas around the characters. One of the year's best films.

Astonishing
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by PW

(2) of (2) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 5

I think those who think this film is about the mid-west/south are misguided. This is a film about the human condition. I was reluctant at first to watch a film about rape and torture yet found myself laughing, cringing and crying all within a minute. I guess the film asks the question: 'What would you do?' and each character responds reasonably from their condition except the deputy who in many ways is the hero.

Heartfelt drama hits all the right notes, beautifully written and paced to draw you along effortlessly into the lives of deftly-drawn characters you soon feel you know intimately. Even minor characters with only a few lines are well-rounded with something interesting to say. As he showed in In Bruges, writer/director Martin McDonagh has a knack for dialogue that’s moving, shocking and humorous all at the same time. Not a word is wasted.

The plot concerns Frances McDormand’s efforts to get small-town sheriff Woody Harrelson, who is dying of cancer, to find the murderer of her daughter. Confident to mix darkness with light, Mcdonagh shifts our emotions with one plot twist after another. It’s the kind of film that makes you quite happy for it to go on and on. The only misjudged note is the score of mawkish C&W ballads.

Frances could be a Brit, she has sufficient cred to be one. Miss Pettigrew effing a lot...........but that is mandatory in the States it appears....and in a lot of UK films now, alas.

Woody actually plays a fairly decent guy, although a redneck police chief, he does have an agreeable way with him. Almost a black comedy in parts.

Rated way higher in States than here, but still pretty well executed, and acting holds a bit more to film than town/folk authenticity. AS another write up says, could have been great if had spaced the heavy dialogue load with some nice downhome shots, and a bit more feel for Ebbing itself. Bit of perspective.

Worth seeing
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by RC

(1) of (1) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 5

A film that is thought provoking and uncomfortable and unflinching. Not one I would want to own and revisit but definately feel it gives a lot to think about. I would recommend. I imagine it's one that you "enjoy" more at home rather than the cinema. It makes you feel a lot and a lot of people don't seem to appreciate that but it has hallmarks of greatness for me. fantastic acting and heartfelt performances.

What a weekend. This. viewed alongside I, Tonya, provided an experience of the dark underbelly of American life that was difficult to sit through at times. Both films were shot through with brutality from beginning to end, with physical and verbal violence seemingly part of everyday lives, the only way, it would appear, of resolving even the most minor of issues, not to mention the life and death ones.

Bleak as it was, though, I found the acting, particularly of McDormand and Harrelson, altogether compelling which is why I stayed watching, I suppose.

Given the modern setting, I could not understand why the openly brutal police were not all over the press, internet and social media. The characters seemed to have modern(ish) phones. So the premise falls at the first hurdle. Were there any other real people in this town? It seems not. Other than extras they don't make much of an appearance. What saves it is Frances McDormand's convincing acting and Woody Harrelson's desperate sheriff. There was the occasional laugh and the odd bit of suspense and that stopped this getting lower ratings

Perhaps over the top for some but it stacked up the emotional climaxes to push them all over in the end.

A women's daughter has been raped and killed. Her expectations of all around her are unreasonable as she bulldozes her way through other people's lives, she has been emotionally brutalised and everybody else is going to get their share. The police Chief, ex-husband, son and second daughter included.

The local police office appears to be manned by Keystone Cops in keeping with the usual 'Southern' redneck view so loved by the left/liberal darlings of the movie business. Their dumb-ass behaviour is standard cliché material in movies incorporating the South.

Despite latter misgiving, the film explores people's reactions to extreme and disruptive emotional behaviour and draws you in. I suspect that those disliking the movie found the emotional ride too hard to handle. I found it worthwhile.

Acting to die for
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by KN

(1) of (1) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 0

Second best film I’ve seen this year after Wind River. Compelling story of loss and revenge but it’s a whole lot more than that and character driven for once. Not often am I moved by acting because the story is the thing but Frances mcdormand and the rest are marvellous. Probably too long as the first hour is superior. A film that makes you think for once.

Brilliant and Flawed at the Same Time
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by KW

(1) of (1) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 3

One outstanding acting performance deserving the awards it won, plus a very cultured one from Woody Harleston, and a script that could have done with some serious editing to produce a film befitting the acting and visual shots on show.

Only 4 out of 5
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by JD

(1) of (2) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 4

I enjoyed this movie, and had been looking forward to viewing it for a while.

Sadly I was a little disappointed .

Very well acted, the whole cast are excellent, with Frances McDormand outstanding.

But....... the morals are very confusing, it’s like a Wild West movie in the ‘70’s , characters fire bomb the police station, and a police officer throws an innocent man out of a first floor window, all without any comment that this is not perfectly normal behaviour...... a very American attitude.

...... and the overuse of the “f word” is a sad reflection on the Screenwriters imagination.

I found this review:

Reviewed by: JD

Boy, does this film love itself, or what?
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri review by TR

(0) of (2) members found this review helpful.

You rated this film: 0

There's a smugness about this whole venture that assumes we're going to like what's offered up. There doesn't seem to be any real effort put into it, as if the Oscar's already a shoe-in. Yes, I know it did win. Lazy pacing, unbelievable storyline: why would a woman go around alienating the people she needs help from? For a great picture about small-town troubles, watch "The Hunt."

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Review

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri comes from the visionary mind of Martin McDonagh, a former playwright who brought the masterpiece ‘In Bruges’ to existence, and I’m eternally grateful to him for doing that. Unfortunately, his second follow-up (after the bizarrely uneven ‘Seven Psychopaths’) doesn’t reach that ‘In Bruges’ level and this is perfectly understandable because of my hypotheses that a person can give only ONE genius idea to the world, and the rest are only derivations to that idea. In all seriousness though, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri fails to provide that same catharsis as McDonagh’s directorial debut did, and of course I’m going to compare all his future films to ‘In Bruges’, there’s no point in denying it.

Three Billboards consists of three main parts: plotting the story, unraveling the plot, and conclusion. The first act is worthy of a genius, featuring several story threads that intertwine and communicate with each other to provide a web of narrative lines to follow for a later big reveal. Or so I’d hoped. The second part is a big letdown, since all that was built in the first part had been thrown out of the window for good. Instead of doubling down on these threads and lines as made in the first part, the second part just lets go everything built up to that point and becomes a totally different film, not caring enough to unravel the plotting in a satisfactory manner. Whether this was deliberate or not, it’s not very enjoyable for the attention of one filmgoer.

The final part is the conclusion, which Three Billboards is missing. That’s right: there is no big revelation, no sudden realization, no catharsis, no nothing; it’s just as if McDonagh threw his hands up in the air and just gave out, not caring enough to provide us with at least a fake cop out. All threads abruptly end like that one time when I had a faulty VHS cassette stopping before the plot had the chance to wrap up. And that’s exactly what Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is, a VHS that ends abruptly and offers no real satisfaction or gravitas (to an otherwise excellent first part, the plotting).

So in a way, you can treat Three Billboards like an unfinished canvas which you can provide your input and go from there. Killing off main characters (or important side characters) never works in both fiction and film, since their traits are usually populated by another, either existing – or a new character after they’re gone. Yes Game of Thrones, you’re cheating your audiences and I know it.

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